Orthopedic procedures are difficult for medical students to learn, largely because of limited opportunities for students and residents to perform the procedures. Medical students and residents are allowed only limited experiences in performing orthopedic procedures on actual patients, both because of limited availability of patients with certain injuries requiring specialized procedures and because of the risk that procedural errors by an untrained student or resident might lead to further injury to the patient.
Medical models are well known training devices, providing a physical model of various parts of a human body. Medical models allow a student to see the relationship and interaction of various anatomical parts. In some instances, a model may be disassembled and reassembled to increase visualization and understanding of complex human anatomy. While the anatomical and structural insights that may be gained by use of a medical model may inform a student on the function and need for a particular procedure to correct a given injury, such models are generally limited in scope and are functionally inadequate in actually simulating a given injury to allow practice of a corrective orthopedic procedure.
While some medical models have been devised to illustrate orthopedic injuries, and in some devices even allowing demonstration of a mechanical reduction of the injury, simple mechanical aspects of an injury and reduction procedure are often insufficient for adequate training. Correct diagnosis of an orthopedic injury must be made prior to the performance of a corrective procedure. Because diagnosis is typically made based on x-ray images along with external observation and palpation, certain medical models, such as skeletal models, are inappropriate for diagnostic training. Moreover, a corrective procedure may, in certain circumstances, require administration of a medication in conjunction with a mechanical manipulation or reduction.
The reduction of a shoulder dislocation, for example, may require administration of a sedative or muscle relaxant if the muscles of the shoulder are tightened to the extent that the dislocation can't be mechanically reduced without application of excessive force. A student, practicing such a procedure, must recognize the condition and respond accordingly. A simple mechanical model lacks the ability to first, simulate a condition suggesting the need for such medication, and second, simulate a physical response to the administration of the medication.
Thus, an orthopedic procedures training simulator solving the aforementioned problems is desired.